Stoicism

The History, Lessons, and Practical Wisdom

De: History Brought Alive

Narrado por: Rett Weissenfels

How Stoicism Spread Across Empires, Endured Centuries, and Still Offers Wisdom in Modern Times

If you’ve ever wondered how an idea born in a crumbling Athens marketplace came to influence emperors, generals, civil rights leaders, and modern thinkers alike… this audiobook will show you.

Stoicism isn’t just a set of quotes or life hacks. It’s one of the most resilient philosophies in history—because it evolved. It adapted to war, exile, politics, hardship, and religion. And despite being over 2,000 years old, its message is more relevant than ever.

In this audiobook, you’ll explore the full history of Stoic philosophy—from its earliest beginnings to its impact on today’s world.

Inside, You'll Discover:

• The full timeline of Stoicism—from Zeno in Athens to the Early, Middle, and Late Stoa
• How Stoicism spread to Rome—and clashed with emperors, religion, and politics
• The true stories of Marcus Aurelius, Epictetus, and Seneca—and their views on power, virtue, and mortality
• How Christianity nearly erased Stoicism—and how it survived through humanists, Enlightenment thinkers, and modern leaders
• How Stoicism influenced George Washington, Toussaint Louverture, and Admiral James Stockdale

Bonus Chapters for Modern Life:

• Daily rituals of Stoics: morning routines, discipline, journaling, and reflection
• Applying Memento Mori, Amor Fati, and the Dichotomy of Control to today's challenges
• Facing loss and adversity with real Stoic tools—as practiced by Nelson Mandela and others

Whether you're a student, history buff, or just seeking timeless guidance, this audiobook shows how Stoicism shaped the world—and why it still matters.

Start listening today.

©2025 History Brought Alive (P)2025 History Brought Alive

Great advice!

If you want a good introduction to this philosophy but you don’t want an audiobook that’s 50 hours long, this is the perfect fit! It did a great job of covering the basics that you need to know.

Educational

Stoicism by History Brought Alive is an excellent educational resource for stoicism. Rett Weissenfels did an amazing job with the narration. The story is interesting, educational, engaging, historical and more. I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Excellent read

Understand why a stoic life is worth while with this audio book. I learned more about stoicism from this audio book than any other book I have listen to.

I received a free copy of this audio book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Nice listen

This is a really good listen which is very educational and informative. I liked the way the author reads this as he keeps it interested. So much info and background which I wasn't aware of regarding stoicism. Some amazing examplkes which makes it easier to understand. I will be taking these learnings moving forward.

Stoicism managed to influence minds

I particularly appreciated the spotlight on lesser-known Stoics like Cleanthes and Musonius Rufus pressures of modern life, offering clear, practical applications of ideas like Memento Mori, Amor Fati, and the Dichotomy of Control.

Self Improvement

I enjoyed the overall history historical view of how this became to be stoicism is definitely very interesting and it's broke into multiple levels at this point in our history today. however I have the question of why do they not teach this in our schools when we were growing up and have become adults some of us older adults at this point some of this would have been very good to not only teach the children as they grew into adults but also preparing them for the future events of the things that we are having to deal with today and very rough and political times.
I would like to apply some of this to my own life which I'm sure is going to be somewhat difficult to do but nevertheless I shall put forth my effort to change my own life in a better direction.
I'm sure our stoicism is not perfect for everybody really can you find anything that is 100% for each and every person so on this road I will say look into this this is a good book to give you a good history study it make inquiries online find your answers and see if it actually would be something that would apply to you in the meantime I would like to say that this book was also provided to me free and that I have willingly given a honest review from my point of view.

Solid Intro to Stoicism Without the Fluff

Really enjoyed this one! It gives a clear breakdown of Stoicism—where it came from, what the main ideas are, and how to actually use it in real life. It’s not too heavy or philosophical to the point of being confusing, which I appreciated. Great for anyone curious about Stoicism but not looking to wade through ancient texts. Felt like a good mix of history and practical takeaways.

Definitely recommend

f you're curious about Stoicism beyond just motivational quotes and want to understand where it really came from and why it still matters, this audiobook is a great listen. I appreciated how it walked through the full history, from ancient Greece all the way to modern leaders, without feeling like a dry lecture. I had no idea how many figures throughout history were influenced by Stoic ideas, and the bonus chapters on how to actually use Stoicism in daily life were surprisingly practical.

A Good Introduction to Stoicism

Overall Rating: 4.25/5

Principles of Stoicism is something many of us practice without even realizing it. This was a fascinating listen on how the philosophy began and evolved over time. I really enjoyed learning about its origins, and it serves as a solid starting point for anyone wanting to understand Stoicism better.